We review the Kala KA-S, arguably the most popular Soprano ukulele for beginners on the market.
Written by Jay Searle / Published December 9, 2023
Last updated: April 09, 2024
Many beginners hail the Kala KA-S as the perfect gateway into the grand world of ukulele, but its simple yet top-grade features make it a good choice for more experienced players. Calling it the ultimate soprano uke might be a long shot, but it’s among the trendiest models in the contemporary market.
In this review, we’ll dive deep into the Kala KA-S, its features, its main attributes, and why it stands out in its price range before passing the final verdict. If you’re interested in learning how it stacks up against more recent additions to Kala’s catalog, we’ll also compare it to the second most popular soprano uke out there, the KA-15S.
Kala KA-S Soprano Ukulele – REVIEW Summary
A super affordable ukulele with great versatility to suit beginners and more advanced players alike.
Kala KA-S Ukulele Review
As far as quantifiable elements of instruments as tactile as the ukulele go, we’re mainly concerned with Kala KA-S’s specifications, playability, sturdiness, tone, and price. Let’s dive a bit deeper into each of these features.
Kala KA-S Specs
The Kala KA-S is a 4-string Soprano ukulele. Its top, back, sides, and neck are made of good-quality mahogany, which is largely to “blame” for its robustness and predominantly warm tone.
Unlike most similarly-priced Sopranos, the Kala KA-S has a Walnut fretboard. The board is smooth and robust, but more importantly, it adds a bit of brightness to the ukulele’s overall sound. With a scale length of 13.5 inches, it’s just a tad larger than an average Soprano ukulele (13 inches).
As expected from an entry-level ukulele, the Kala KA-S features a nut made of synthetic bone material. Even though it can’t compare to the reliability and durability of authentic bone, this piece keeps the strings in check and won’t cause you any intonation problems (if given proper maintenance).
The hardware is quite average, considering the low price tag. The geared machine heads and GraphTech saddle are dependable enough to allow players to use the ukulele at virtually any action they desire. If you’re ordering a KA-S directly from Kala’s official site, it will likely come pre-strung with a set of Aquila Nylgut strings.
An Easy-to-Play Ukulele
Besides an affordable price tag, the main reason why the Kala KA-S is so popular among new learners and beginner uke players is that playing it is easy. With adequate fret & string spacing, good intonation, and a sleek fingerboard, it covers all the bases of a smooth-playing uke.
Typically, we’d deduct a single point in this field for ukuleles with larger scale lengths since their improved tone comes at the expense of stiffer strings. However, the extra 0.5 inch is such a minor difference compared to the industry’s average that only seasoned veterans would be able to spot it.
Decent Durability For A Soprano Uke That Will Last
Mahogany is a very sturdy hardwood and probably one of the most durable tonewoods being used to make cheap ukuleles. The all-mahogany construction makes the KA-S a roadworthy instrument, as it can easily endure a few dings and bumpy rides, especially if it’s properly stored in a carry case.
Bright Tones Make the Kala KA-S Fun to Play!
It’s rare for budget ukuleles to have a diverse, versatile sound, and the fact that the Kala KA-S is an all-Mahogany uke should be an indicator of said rule. However, its warm tone is complimented by the bright-sounding Walnut in the fingerboard, giving a bit of extra color to its primary sound and undertones.
Moreover, its slightly larger scale length also “brightens” the tone a bit, but more importantly, it gives the KA-S a beautiful sustain. Have a listen to the demo video below to see what we mean.
Price-to-Value Ratio
The Kala KA-S ukulele is leagues above similarly-priced alternatives in virtually all fields of performance. Moreover, it’s among the scant few budget ukuleles that most professionals wouldn’t mind using in a studio or a live gig environment.
As a well-rounded Soprano with great specs, it offers consistently good performance while requiring minimal maintenance to play, sound, and feel good. Even if it was a bit more expensive, it would still be highly valuable for the price.
Who Is the Kala KA-S For?
Kala KA-S’s versatility, dependability, and affordability are almost unrivaled in the current market, which is debatably the reason behind its massive popularity. It’s a good choice for virtually anyone, whether you’re a session musician, a composer, a session player, or if you’ve just picked up playing the uke as a hobby.
Kala KA-S vs. KA-15S
Some consider the Kala KA-15S ukulele (shown below) an “upgrade” of its older sister, the Kala KA-S Soprano. However, the two share more similarities than differences, the latter of which mainly relate to aesthetic features.
Namely, both the KA-S and KA-15S have the same specs and offer the same level of performance across the board. The main notable difference is that the Kala-15S doesn’t have the white binding to protect the edges of the instrument and also features a gorgeous sun-like graphic around the soundhole.
The other difference is in the frets. The Kala KA-S uses nickel frets, while the Kala KA-15S uses brass frets. Having brass or nickel frets doesn’t really make too much a difference in the overall sound quality of the ukulele and is mostly considered to be purely aesthetic.
Final Words
The KA-S is immensely popular for all the good reasons. As one of the best-sounding Sopranos in the budget range (and arguably beyond), its value is high from the get-go. Its superb playability, intonation, and versatility are just bonuses that make the Kala KA-S even more attractive to both newbies and veteran players alike.
Jay Searle
Website Founder & WriterJay is a self-professed music nerd and ukulele lover. When not working on the website you’ll find him strumming along to his favorite tunes, spending time with his family, or learning to play the piano.
